Dr. Gabe Veas is someone who believes in remembering the past. With a Mexican heritage, the last names of his grandparents are reflective of this: Ramirez, Aguilar, Martinez, and Veas. Yet looking back on it all, Veas’ family came to the United States with a dream. One could call it the American dream, or better yet they were California Dreaming. They had dreams of a better life. They were fueled by not only dreams of hope and opportunities for themselves, but more importantly with dreams for their children to be educated and live a better life. Based upon Veas’ upbringing, he realized the truth that each person, individually, will have to choose whether or not to follow the positive or negative traditions of their heritage, neighborhood, and family.

In his talk, California Dreaming, Dr. Gabe Veas speaks to the realities of how life was growing up in a humble Mexican-American home in Los Angeles. Inspired by dreams that were born out of pain and struggle, Veas shares the motivational story of how he overcame the realities of inner-city life to persevere and be the positive role model that he is today. This popular message has roots to Dr. Gabe Veas’ earliest days as a speaker when he began addressing crowds of his classmates weekly at the age of sixteen. Back then, while attending one of the most dangerous high schools in America, Veas first felt the need to step out and make a positive difference by encouraging students to follow their dreams and give back to the community. This unforgettable talk is geared towards students of all ages.